UN allocates more than $14 million to finance 120 organizations in Ukraine to support women

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) announced it has allocated $14.6 million to support women in Ukraine. 

"UN Women has allocated through its peace and humanitarian fund, over 14.6 million US dollars to finance our 120 civil society organizations that support women and girls inside Ukraine and those displaced in Moldova," United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary Anne DiCarlo said during the UN Security Council briefing on Thursday.  

According to DiCarlo, the United Nations has verified "173 cases of conflict-related sexual violence against 112 Men, 57 women, and four girls."

"The numbers alone tell a horrific story," DiCarlo said, adding that since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion 18 months ago, "OHCHR has confirmed at least 9,444 civilians, including 545 children, killed nearly 17,000 others; among them, 1,156 children have been injured." 

DiCarlo also said that the real figures are likely much higher. 

More context: Since the Russian invasion began, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Moscow’s forces of sexually abusing women and children, claiming they are using rape and other sexual acts as weapons of war.

Nearly half of Ukrainians held in detention centers in Kherson by Russian forces were subjected to widespread torture including sexual violence, according to a report published earlier this month